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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



CHANG 

THE ROYALIST AND REBEL 




BY 



M. Littleton Smithey Collyer 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two COWE8 ReC€IVEO 

JUN. 20 1902 

COPY B. 






Copyright 1902 

BY 

M. Littleton Smitjey Coi^i^yer 



= '^* '.'■'^ e«6 



PREFACE 

THIS little volume contains a true story from 
China. Chang is a real character, who has 
for years aided the translating committee of the 
British and Foreign Bible Society in rendering 
the scriptures into Chinese. 

I have put his story in verse, and have amplified 
it so far as to make him give a brief exposition of 
Confucianism, and a few more facts in regard to 
Gen. Gordon and the Tae-ping Rebellion, than 
his original narrative contained. These I have 
taken from trustworthy authorities. In all other 
essential points Chang's story is as he related it 
eight years ago to my husband. Rev. C. T. CoU- 
yer, who was at that time engaged in work of the 
British and Foreign Bible Society in Shanghai. 

My imagination created the evening of despon- 
dency with which the story opens, as descriptive 
of those times which often oppress a missionary 
in a heathen land, and I have made the coming 
of Chang at that particular time as the source of 
encouragement needed. 

The incidents in Bible Society work, the im- 
prisonment and expulsion from a large city, the 
hearts of whose people were afterwards strangely 
stirred by five copies of the Gospel left among 
them, were true experiences of my husband. 
M. Littleton Smithey CoIvI^yer. 

May 26, 1902. 



DEDICATED 

TO THE MEMORY OF HER, 

WHO FIRST TAUGHT MY STEPS THE WAY TO GOD, 

MY MOTHER 



CHANG 

I 

TWAS evening in Shanghai, and I sat alone, 
Weary of heart by the office hearth-stone 
Of the British and Foreign Bible House, where 
I posted the books, and daily strove there 
To accomplish the work which came to my hand, 
And glorify the Lord in that far awaj' land. 
Within there was light, but darkness outside 
Deeper than that which at evening-tide 
On the world comes down, or at midnight's hour : 
For that darkness came of heathen power. 
And hung like a pall o'er China's great land, 
Which no light could pierce, nor lift any hand. 
Save that which broke, when Bethlehem's star 
Arose to lighten the world afar. 
And the hand reaching downward, pierced for sin, 
Ever knocking at her heart but never let in, 
Though a few of her people believed His word, 
And those who preached it, sent of the Lord. 
An idol procession below filled the street. 
And upward came sounds of the tramping of feet. 

II 

My heart on that eve was sinking within. 
Pressed down by the misery, suffering and sin 

5 



CHANG 

Of a nation that its God had forgot, 

And set up its own gods, but Gods they were not, 

And how fruitless seemed best effort of mine 

To lift men higher — up to the Divine. 

Added to that I held in my hand 

A letter from a friend in my own native land, 

Who needed, himself, but only to fall 

At the feet of the Master, yielding Him all 

The talents of mind and talents of gold, 

Entrusted for use so many fold, 

With character strong and heart so true 

That, if once given, well I knew 

Would stand the test, though tried by fire, 

And purified come, with but desire 

To glorify his Lord and serve anywhere, 

When self sank dow^n and God rose there. 

Sometimes through his letters a bright thread ran, 

And I would deem that time near at hand ; 

But he now asked proofs of success in the work, 

And beneath that question another did lurk. 

And added he " After all, does it pay 

For time and money expended that way, 

To say nothing of lives sacrificed there, 

When at home there is plenty to do everywhere ?'* 

Ill 

An answer to this, I could not delay. 
But felt it must speedily go on its way 
6 



CHANG 

Even with the morn, to witness 'twas worth 
All expended to send forth the truth, 
That perishing souls might look unto him, 
Their Saviour who had suffered for them ; 
To whom they were precious, tho' steeped in sin, 
So precious, He died their lost souls to win. 

IV 

Is a soul worth saving ? Ask of thy soul 

And let its answer thy life control.. 

As it did His, who on the cross died 

And, answered forever, in the blood of His side, 

The worth of a soul, through sin tho' it fell, 

The life of the Lord — to save it from Hell. 



V 



But my heart was heavy and I longed that night 

For some new message to tell of the light 

The Gospel was bringing — wearily then, 

Time after time, grasped I my pen 

Statistics to wTite over again, 

And things seen and heard that might not be vain, 

But failed ; then, turning away with a sigh, 

I felt I needed somewhat from on high 

For my own troubled soul — some Heaven-born 

light, 
Ere I could influence another aright, 

7 



CHANG 

I felt I needed more faith in God's word, 
Which He declared should not return void. 



VI 



With that thought I arose, and stood in the room, 
Stored with that printed word in many a tongue, 
Whose embossed titles in the firelight glowed, 
From shelves surrounding me where they were 

stowed ; 
And thought of the volumes the whole house 

through, 
And those daily sent forth which fell like the dew 
All over the land, that through it might steal 
The knowledge of God and His great love reveal. 

VII 

As I gazed, I thought of those first early days, 
When my heart leaped up, filled with His praise, 
And forth I had gone, trusting in naught 
But God's promise, His word should void return 

not; 
And how it sustained me both night and day. 
When far away inland I went on my way, 
That word to distribute — to the people to sell — 
And strove in broken language the storj' to tell 
Of a God over all, of a Saviour who came 
And died for their sins, and prepared them a home, 



CHANG 

Beyond their Emperor's grandeur, or the stars 

that shone 
In the firmament above, or the glory of the sun, 
And the love that brought Him down, eternal life 

to give. 
And take them to Himself forever more to live. 

VIII 

Sometimes I was roughly treated, and imprisoned 

too, 
Again kindly received by humblest of the low, 
Who nobler guest had had to come and sup with 

them, 
For they'd heard the Saviour's voice and had let 

Him in. 
Sometimes with buoyant spirit I traveled on for 

days. 
Again my spirit sank, as hedged were all the ways, 
Crosses too were given, though heavy I must bear, 
To bring me nearer God, and to uplift me there. 
Illness then my portion, and it laid me low. 
But, through it all, m}^ Saviour I better learned 

to know. 
Oft for many months I no foreign face could see, 
But multitudes of natives e'er surrounded me, 
Whose hardened, heathen faces, like adamant un- 
moved, 
As their stone gods no power of heart, the set ex- 
pression showed, 
9 



CHANG 

Which well nigh beat back my courage with the 

hardened look. 
As did hatred and vile curses in every wa}^ I took, 
Yet they once bore the image of the most Holy 

One — 
Created like Himself — ard redeemed with His 

Son; 
And yet again can bear it through redeeming 

grace — 
I have seen its glory gleam on the Christian's 

softened face. 

IX 

Again one' sent of God would pass along the w^ay, 
With sympathy that brightened many a weary day, 
Once when sore discouraged, I found a frailer' one. 
Bearing heavier burden than e'er to me had come. 
Whose eyes of faith looked upward through the 

darkest night, 
And patient face wore traces of a heavenly light ; 
And I went forth afresh to fight the battle o'er. 
And win it for my Master, where I had failed 

before. 

X 

I ever felt the burden of the watchman on the 
wall, 

1 A foreign worker, 2 interior lady missionary. 
10 



CHANG 

If I warned not the people, their blood on me 

would fall, 
If but the blood of one was required at my hand, 
How could I, at the last, before my Master stand ? 

XI 

Oft I saw a father forward lead his son 
To a temple, where instructions were begun 
In heathen worship, and before his idols fall, 
While I with rent heart upon my God would call 
To mercy have, and grant some beam of heavenly 

light 
From the Son of Righteousness to dawn upon his 

night. " 

Ere this prayer would leave me, I would hear a 

cry — 
From beggars on the street as I was passing by — 
' * Do good deeds great teacher ! ' ' and it coined all 
The misery to me to mankind could befall : 
For good deeds, done for merit, men so often sell 
Their immortal soul to death's eternal hell, 
With good deeds, to Heaven the way was never 

won , 
But only through the merit of God's Holy Son. 

XII 

Once faith almost wavered, for there came a day, 

When from a great walled city I was turned away, 

11 



CHANG 

Where I had gone, there hoping to sell all my store 
Of Gospels ere I left, and even many more ; 
With my native helper, I was imprisoned there 

that night, 
And by a band of soldiers sent with the early light 
Outside the official precincts ; as I rode by their 

side, 
I could not understand what then did me betide, 
Why had I sold but fiv^e books ? I questioned o'er 

and o'er. 
When with such faith and labor I'd taken thous- 
ands more. 
As we passed out the city, the ponderous iron gate, 
Swinging back on rusty hinges, seemed into my 

soul to grate, 
And tears sprang to my eyes, for disappointment 

sore 
And failure crowned my life as it never had before. 

XIII 

Yet once more I struggled forward, and onward 

w^ent my way 
Far into the interior, and long after met one day 
Another in God's work, who joyfully told to me, 
How in a distant city God had wrought great 

victory — 
He said two missionaries reached a city where he'd 

heard, 

12 



CHANG 

The people crowded round and asked them for 

God's word, 
" Of God," enquired they, " How is it that you 

know ? " 
The people made reply — ' ' 'Twas a long while ago, 
One day at even-tide, when 'twas growing late, 
A foreigner came here through this same city 

gate — 
The people pressed upon him, his like they'd never 

seen. 
For a foreigner in our city before had never been — 
He spoke of a new life that one to us could give, 
Who loved and for us died that henceforth w^e 

might live. 
He declared the books he then held in his hand 
Would tell us of that life and of a glorious land. 
Five books alone he'd sold when the Governor for 

him sent. 
And made him leave the city, and thus away he 

went- 
But the books we read — and we would know 

more 
Of this new life of which w^e've heard but once be- 
fore." 
Again the tears welled to my eyes, for by my 

little all 
God's great power I'd measured, because my faith 

was small, 

13 



CHANG 

Then songs of praises from my heart ascended 

full and free 
For God's great faithfulness — faithfulness to me. 

XIV 

As those experiences, following fast, 

Came to strengthen me, back from the past, 

Faith came with power my faint soul to light. 

And again I turned me round to write. 

I eagerly grasped my pen, but had done scarcely 

more, 
When there came a ring at the Society's street 

door. 



XV 



I quickly left my desk, and went down the stair, 
And opened wide the door, to find standing there 
Chang, a man whom I had met many times before, 
A native of some five and sixty years or more, 
Whose intellectual eye and strong face combined 
Showed strength of character and brilliancy of 

mind. 
In his native country, a high place he had won, 
Then yet a higher — in the kingdom of God's Son — 
Of a humble Christian man, working for his bread, 
And among his people striving the Gospel's light 

to spread, 

14 



CHANG 

In a Christian mission, he held of trust a place 
And was a man of thought and of Christian grace. 

XVI 

I had often, in the past, had short converse with 

him, 
When together thrown in our work we'd been, 
And he never left me, but I longed to know the 

more 
Of a life so different from that life before. 

XVII 

I gladly welcomed him, and showed him up the 
stair, 

And soon we both were seated in my office, where 

We conversed a while, and then he said to me, 

' ' When I left home to-night, I thought not you 
to see, 

I had been to service at the Mission Church to- 
night 

And turned the Nee Mo LulC to see your window's 
light. 

And something brought me here — what I do not 
know — 

Unless it is to talk of what oft we have before — 

Of how God's word is spreading and bringing in 
the light 

To my darkened people, as I have heard to-night 

1 A street in Shanghai. 

15 



CHANG 

But some they cursed the preacher, it grieved my 

heart to see, 
And yet " — he bowed his head — "once 'twas the 

same with me. ' ' 
On his face a sadness deepened as he spoke, 
And there fell a silence, which presently I broke, 
By asking him his life a little to unfold. 
As I much desired to know more than I'd been told. 
As he raised his head I could his features scan, 
Deep thought o'erspread his face, as his story 

thus began : 

XVIII 

' ' In Nankin my childhood and early youth were 

spent, 
My father's home was there, and to school I was 

duly sent, 
To become a scholar, and have a degree, 
Thus following my father, for such an one was he. 
There I studied on, till twenty years of age, 
Following Confucius, China's greatest sage, 
Adherent of his system, based on philosophy 
Of political and social life, which constantly taught 

he 
His disciples, that fully I might attain 
Wisdom and knowledge which one alone could 

gain, 



16 



CHANG 

By performance strict, and faithfully given, 
Of appointed duties and the cultivation 
Of proper feelings all, and sentiments most true, 
Which, however hard, I ever strove to do. 

XIX 

" My country's ancient laws I venerated all, 

And the dead I worshiped in ancestral hall, 

Also spirits, rivers, moimtains and Shangti, 

Whose outward emblem is the firmament we see. 

But which is only verbal personification, 

And nothing more, that has been given 

To the ever present law and the order found 

And intelligence, which ever doth abound, 

In activities of physical creation, 

In season's circuit, day and night's alternation, 

Which doth seem to breathe in the tides ebb and 

'flow 
And to move along as the heavenly bodies go. 

XX 

' ' When Confucius did to this power ascribe 
Intelligence and the exercise 
Of moral government, he did but only speak 
Of nature's laws, nor further seemed to seek — 
If at times he held a thought, in his inmost soul. 
Of mysterious life, pervading the whole, 
17 



CHANG 

Expression did not give of what might be, 
A spark of Ufe there struggHng for immortality — 
But sometimes reprimanded those whom he taught 
For seeking into things beyond their depth of 

thought, 
All spiritual tendency thus crushing 
In human nature by repudiating, 
Of unknown things, all speculation 
And well nigh all investigation. 
On metaphysics, he would not think. 
And from theology equall}^ did shrink. 
In all his teaching, there is no trace of God, 
Or that all things came forth by his word, 
Thus following his teaching, like him I became 
An atheist as all who doth name his name. ' ' 

XXI 

Chang paused, and as he did so, I thought how 

true, 
Of Confucian doctrine, was his expressed view ; 
P'or individuality in man it crushes all 
And that which, on conviction, though he needs 

must fall, 
Makes him single-handed face a foe and fight — 
To live or die for that which he believes is right — 
As the martyrs did, whose blood upon the ground 
Proved they believed they'd find what in death 

they found. 

18 



CHANG 

XXII 

" 'Twas more than forty years ago," then con- 
tinued he, 
"In Emperor Hien-Fung's reign before that of 

Tung-Chi, 
Discontent was then great in the land ; 
The people were oppressed by official hand, 
Till starvation came creeping to the door, 
Still the extortioner yet extortioned more, 
Till ready were the people to accept, it seemed. 
Anything in view and however wild a scheme. 
That deliverance promised from their sad condition 
And would give the right of claiming resti- 
tution, 
When there arose a man who'd disappointed been 
Of government employ — Hung-Sew-Tsuen. 
Incensed was he by failure — was Heaven-sent he 

claimed, 
An inspired one, and his mission he proclaimed 
Was the hated Manchu from the throne to cast, 
And place a Ming thereon whose dynasty should 

last. 
Prophet too, claimed he, of vengeance and free- 
dom 
Champion of power, and seer of vision. 



19 



CHANG 

XXIII 

"Some thought him demented, but so masterly 
The means to converts gain e'er employed he, 
That the people believed and it was not long 
Ere his army grew to many thousand strong. 
Then he proclaimed himself the Heavenly-sent 

king. 
The emperor of great peace — Tae-Ping. 

XXIV 

* ' Five warrior kinsmen he then by his hand 
Created kings, and the army through the land 
Marched, spreading ruin and fire, distress and 

famine sore, 
And every day the number yet numbered more. 
Secret societies ancient, warriors desperate. 
Yet swelled the number, with bandit and pirate. 

XXV 

*' When first I heard the news, I did not think it 

true, 

The rebels were so strong and such harm could do; 

But, as the time went by, all was true I found, 

And the people fell with faces to the ground. 

When they saw advancing that barbaric host 

With tawdry dress and banners, and they did 

almost 

20 



CHANG 

Perish, ere the rebels fell upon them with knife 

and cutlass, 
Their homes and lives to take, and the land devast. 

XXVI 

"Still I studied on, deeming that the foe 
By Imperial hand would soon be lying low. 
Till three years had passed since in the land. 
First we had heard rumors of the rebel band, 
When one day to the city some one news did bring, 
That the fearful army was marching on Nankin. 

XXVII 

* * Terror-stricken people many fled to find 
Refuge in other places, leaving all behind ; 
Others there remained, and did the hope express 
That the Imperialists yet would them repress. 
But that hope was vain, for there came a day. 
When from the city rose a great cry of dismay. 
Which told they were upon us — I, too, quaked 

with fear, 
When from the wall I saw them fast advancing 

near, 
Their aspect more dreadful than ever I had 

dreamed — 
Ere long the city fell and within they streamed. 



21 



CHANG 
XXVIII 

* ' Wildly the people ran to and fro that day ; 

Grasping my father's hand, with him I fled away, 

Striving with many others the opposite gate to 
reach 

In the city's wall from where they made the 
breach, 

Sometimes we stumbled sorely and oft were over- 
run, 

Before the arches of that distant gate were won ; 

Then came a backward swaying — a falling to the 
ground, 

As the gate was held by the enemy we found. 

To right and left we ran, as best we could we fled, 

Fearing to look backward, as swiftly on we sped. 

XXIX 

" I sought a place of refuge by the wall to gain. 
And, when the point was won, deemed it not in 

vain; 
But great was my dismay, on looking round to 

find, 
A young man there with me, my father left be- 
hind. 
I started up at once to go and search for him. 
But saw the way cut off in the distance dim, 

22 



CHANG 

By rebels pouring through the gate and I knew 

that he 
Had been taken by their hand, as those behind 

would be. 

XXX 

* ' The young man and myself crouched close be- 
side the wall, 
Till the evening shadows darkening began to fall; 
Climbing over then, we safely reached the ground 
And started for the river, where a boat we found, 
Which was there for hire, and gained the other 

side, 
Ere the morning broke, tho' the river there is 

wide. 
Northward then we wandered, living as we could, 
In no place tarr3'ing long, for fear the rebels would 
Come upon and take us, as they did at last 
In a hamlet, where we the night had passed. 

XXXI 

** Manual work was given me, which I could not 

do; 
When that was reported and found to be true. 
And that I had never done such work before, 
But was a scholar, versed in Confucius lore, 



23 



CHANG 

The rolls to keep were given me, and thus did I 
Unwillingl}^ the rebels serve till several years 

passed by, 
Yet, all that time a chance to make escape I 

sought, 
But such an hoped for one was presented not. 
Till one night the armies in darkness lay opposed, 
And the great rebel camp in slumber deep re- 
posed ; 
Then I to Imperial forces did stealthily repair. 
And signalled surrender to the guard standing 

there. 
Keeping the Imperial rolls I served for three 

years more, 
As I had done the rebels for three 3xars before. 
Then a change was made, and it was not long 
Before I was Secretary to great Li Hung Chang. 

XXXII 

* ' All this time the w^ar had raged solely between 
The Imperial government and Hung Sew Tsuen. 
Strength was ever added to the rebel band. 
And misery and want grew greater in the^ land ; 
Then foreign aid was sought, and in Sung Kiang 

to-day 
Lies Ward, the American, who that city took 

away 

24 



CHANG 

From the enemj', and rendered service true 
To my suffering country as he essayed to do. 
Then after one unworthy/ General Gordon came, 
A skilled Englishman, whose one and only aim 
In life was his duty faithfully to do, 
No victory regarded he to effort of his due ; 
But, whate'er his triumphs, held them not his 

own, 
But of a higher cause, for which he'd fought and 

won, 
The name of Gordon, ah! 'tis high on honour's 

roll. 
And where e'er recorded bears the whiteness of 

his soul. 

XXXIII 

* * Though difficulties many awaited then his hand, 
The army grew victorious under his command. 
That army a great leader no longer needed then, 
And city after city were recaptured by his men. 
When Soochow was taken, where the warrior 

kings 
Surrendered we hoped for greater things ; 
But ere they came, while we rejoiced o'er present 

victory. 
There fell a dark spot on our country's history. 
General Gordon had promised, endorsed by Li,"* 

^ Burgevine. ^ i^i Hung Chang. 

25 



CHANG 

That if Soochow surrendered, honourable should 

be 
The treatment of the warrior kings of the rebel 

band, 
Who gave up the city to Imperial hand. 
Soochow surrendered, and Gordon marched away^ 
To take the city of Quin-San, and, on return 

next day, 
Was met by General Ching, who told him it was 

said 
That mercy unto all had been accorded. 
He was pleased and satisfied ; but it was not long 
Ere he heard massacred they had been by Li 

Hung Chang. 
He bowed his head and wept when he found 

'twas true. 
Perhaps the most trying moment his life ever knew. 
' ' For three daj^s did he seek for Li Hung Chang; 
'Tis said that had he found him, avenged had 

been the wrong. 
The deed w^as laid to Gordon, but 'twas not of 

his hand ; 
And there arose a cry all throughout the land, 
That not even when the men of Han fought Mon- 

gal and Manchu, 
Or half barbaric troops, in the glorious days of Chu, 

^ Gen. Gordon, before leaving Soochow, was assured of the 
safety of the warrior kings, and bade them good by, as they went 
to give over the city formally to Li Hung Chang. 



CHANG 

Did ever China blush with deed or with blood so 

spilled, 
Or atrocity so great as of the army English-drilled. 

XXXIV 

' ' The honours the country gave, Gordon threw 

upon her soil, 
Such could not appease his honour's wild turmoil. 
He stood erect receiving only honour of his God, 
At whose call his feet had first pressed our heathen 

sod. 
To continue the campaign was to endorse that 

done — 
To leave the country to its fate, to lose what had 

been won. 
He knew that innocent lives yet to be defended 
Of millions of people still on him depended 
And, though the deed placed him in difficulty 

great, 
For their sakes again he served when exonerate' 

XXXV 

" None can tell how fearful things had grown to be 
In the land but they those fearful things did see. 
Hung Sew Tsuen was guilty of cruelties greater 

than 
Has ever been accorded to any other man ; 

1 Gen. Gordon required the Chinese Government to issue a 
proclamation exonerating him. 

27 



CHANG 

Flaying alive, pounding to death were practiced 

by him 
As usual puniishment of unfortunate victim. 

XXXVI 

How the people suffered all o'er the land, 

It is impossible for one to understand ; 

From place to place there wandered gaunt, starv- 
ing creatures, they 

Would from decaying corpses eat human flesh 
away ; 

Helpless bound-feet women, little children by their 
side, 

Were by the cruel rebels slaughtered far and wide. 

XXXVII 

' * A few more months of conflict, and only Nankin 

then 
Was by the rebels held, where reigned Hung- 

Sew-Tsuen 
When that cit}^ fell, he was advised to flee. 
But despised the suggestion that one so great as 

he — 
Lord of ten thousand nations and who then held 

fast 
The Empire, hills and streams, in an iron grasp — 

28 



CHANG 

Should fear or flee ; but, when he saw the coming 

end, 
He hung his thirty wives, and took his ow^n life 

then. 

XXXVIII 

" Thus after fifteen years the great rebellion o'er, 
I homeward to Nankin turned my steps once more, 
To learn my father's fate, of which I nothing heard. 
Though inquiring often, of him I'd had no word, 
* * When I neared the city, I saw that everywhere 
Destruction was written, and all things waste and 

bare — 
The stone animals and warriors guarding the 

Mings, 
As they lay entombed, alone were unmolested 

things — 
Level with the ground, the porcelain tower great. 
And all within the city w^as made desolate, 

XXXIX 

"After weary searching, my childhood's home I 

found ; 
'Twas but a pile of debris rising from the ground. 
No tidings of my father gained I anywhere. 
Though day and night I sought him among the 

people there, 

29 



CHANG 

Till days grew into months, and months to years 

gave place, 
Yet, for all my seeking, of him I found no trace. 
I knew not with the living or the dead, were he, 
But ever longed the more his face once more to 

see, 
Wondering what suffering he'd had to undergo, 
How I'd have saved him from it, this to you will 

show ; ' ' 
He put aside his sleeve, and his left arm made 

bare, 
And showed a large, deep scar above the elbow, 

where 
His own flesh had been taken, that it might avail 
To save his father's life, when all remedies once 

failed. ' 



XL 



Continuing his story, said he, " One day there 

came 
Rumor that a man of my father's age and name 
In the city of Hongchow by some one had been 

seen. 
I hastened there to find that in the place there' d 

been 



^It is a belief in China that, when all remedies fail, a parent 
will be restored to health by eating the flesh of his child. 



CHANG 

One like unto my father, but learned I nothing 

more, 
Though for two years I searched city and country 

o'er. 
I was then informed to Socchow he had gone ; 
As soon as I heard that, thither I hastened on 
To find awaiting me, as there had been before, 
After weary searching, disappointment sore. 
With but faint hope within me, it was then that I, 
Hearing another rumor, turned footsteps to 

Shanghai ; 
There I lived and sought him till hope had fled 

from me, 
And despair had told me his face no more I'd see- 

XLI 

" One day while passing a familiar street along, 

I heard the singing of a Christian song. 

I quickly looked to see from whence had come 
the sound. 

And saw an open door, with people gathering round; 

I pushed my way along until I stood within 

A small street chapel where people were wor- 
shiping. 

A foreigner' stood preaching Christ, such I'd not 
heard before, 

Foreigners I hated— their God I hated more. 

^The late Dr. Muirhead, of the I^ondon Missionary Society. 
31 



CHANG 

I set me to blaspheme, and to my countrj^men 

Derided Christ and Christian, and showed con- 
tempt for them. 

By drawing m}^ silken robe aside lest polluted it 
should be. 

By contact with the chapel pews of Christianity. 

While I thus derided and enjoined the people 
there, 

In a corner I beheld someone bowed in prayer ; 

I forw^ard moved to him to draw him from his 
place. 

But when he raised his head, I looked on my 
father's face. 

XLII 

' * One moment all was silent, then that meeting 

after j^ears 
Came with a rush of feeling and a flow of tears ; 
The Christian service had to end, so noisy had 

become, 
By what had happened, the little chapel's room. 

XUII 

*' The emotion and excitement were but scarcely 

o'er 
Of meeting my father, and ere wx left the door, 



32 



CHANG 

I even chided him for the Jesus doctrine new ; 
But he replied, if you knew Jesus you would love 
Him too. 

XLIV 

** That was all the answer made, but as I walked 

by his side 
To his humble dwelling, where I would abide. 
He told me how his life was spared, and of his 

wanderings sore, 
And great sorrow, for me he feared he'd see no 

more. 
"But the Heavenly Father brought you ; He has 

blessed me night and day, 
And Jesus Christ, His Son, has taken my sins 

away. ' ' 
Ere he slept that night, from a book read he 
Of Christ's great love for sinners, and then he 

prayed for me. 

XLV 

*' The hated doctrine I pondered, as I noted day 

by day 
The light upon my father's face that naught 

could take away. 
And human life made perfect by power I did not 

know, 

l.ofC. 33 



CHANG 

With no reference to Confucius, or aught that he 

did show. 
With conscious sins all pardoned, and heart where 

perfect peace 
Reigned with a hope eternal of joys that could 

not cease. 
As I thought of that power and life so strange 

and new, 
I, too, read the scriptures to find if it were true ; 
What wonder that the Spirit breathing through 

the whole, 
Changed me from a heathen to a Christian soul ! 

XLVI 

' ' Since then I've followed Jesus, and the Christian 

way have trod. 
And am bringing up my children in love and fear 

of God ; 
His grace it is sufiicient. Once, when on a bed 

of pain, 
His presence filled my room and joy returned 

again. 
None could e'er dissuade me that vision I did not 

see, 
For it brought comfort then, and still abides with 

me. 
But list'! the custom's clock I hear ! Eleven is 

the hour, 

34 



CHANG 

And I must go. God bless and keep you by His 
power !" 

With that he said good-night ; I showed him 
down the stair, 

And saw him cross the street, while I was stand- 
ing there. 

And pass into the darkness, which held no 
night for him. 

For the Pagan soul was lighted by the Christ 
within. 

XI.VII 

I back into the office turned with a heart made 

light 
By the wondrous story I had heard that night, 
And unto many since that story I have told, 
And its inspiration still within my heart I hold. 



Richmond 

CI.YDE W. Saunders 

Printer 



J UN 2 :iDi 



